gio gonzalez

VIERA, Fla. — This could prove to be “Awkward Day” at Space Coast Stadium, when the Nationals and Mets square off in the Viera finale of the spring. Why awkward? Let’s count the ways… 1. Yunel Escobar is playing third base for the first time since 2007 as the Nats try to figure out how…

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Less than a week after announcing Max Scherzer as their Opening Day starter, the Nationals announced the order for the rest of their rotation to open the season. Jordan Zimmermann and Stephen Strasburg will follow Scherzer and face the Mets in the season-opening series April 6-9. Gio Gonzalez and Doug…

VIERA, Fla. — There was a moment in the top of the third inning Thursday evening at Space Coast Stadium that might as well have been classic Gio Gonzalez. After issuing back-to-back, 2-out walks to the Mets, the left-hander shouted out a naughty word that could be heard in every corner of this cozy ballpark.…

VIERA, Fla. — Hello from Space Coast Stadium, where the Nats and Mets are scheduled to play the odd 5:05 p.m. ballgame this afternoon/evening. I would offer an explanation for the strange starting time, but I have none. It’s actually not ideal from a weather standpoint: It’s been beautiful here all day, but there are…

We are fast approaching the stretch run of spring training, which means pitchers start going deeper into games, position players start getting more at-bats and guys on the roster bubble start being evaluated a bit closer. The Nationals today will see Gio Gonzalez make his third start of the spring. The lefty was fantastic in…

The 2015 MLB season is just weeks away, which means it’s the time of year for fantasy baseball drafts. Don’t play fantasy baseball? Think that fantasy football is way, way better? Well, I certainly beg to differ. If you love baseball, fantasy can be a load of fun. It’s like fantasy football, but with a…

The Nationals play a pair of split-squad games on Saturday afternoon against the two teams who may give them their biggest challenge in repeating as NL East division champs. At home in Viera they will host the Miami Marlins, while on the road in Port St. Lucie they will go up against the New York…

The day began with news of Denard Span’s core muscle surgery, a procedure that will force the veteran center fielder to open the season on the DL. But attention now shifts to the field of play, with the Nationals hosting the Braves in this afternoon’s Grapefruit League game in Viera. Tony Gwynn Jr., whose stock…

The Washington Nationals shocked many around the baseball world when they signed Max Scherzer to a record contract back in January. They strengthened a strength and added more firepower to what was already a very good starting rotation. But so far, all of it has been talk and projections on paper. They have yet to…

VIERA, Fla. — The Nationals typically have held live batting practice drills on four consecutive days each spring, giving each pitcher in camp two opportunities to work off a mound with a batter at the plate. But a condensed scheduled this spring forced them to cut these sessions in half, putting some added emphasis on…

Mark sat down with Nationals catcher Wilson Ramos on Tuesday for a one-on-one interview at Space Coast Stadium in Viera, Fla. Ramos is of course excited to be working with what many expect to be the best starting rotation in Major League Baseball. Ramos also shares some goals of his own, including staying healthy which…

In Mark’s latest report from Nationals spring training in Viera, Fla., he looks at who could be the odd-man out of their star-studded rotation. Right now there are six players vying for five spots, meaning someone will likely get bumped to the bullpen within the next few weeks. In this video Mark has reaction from Max…

Nationals pitchers and catchers reported to Viera, Fla. on Thursday ready to get started for the 2015 season after an eventful winter. Mark is down there and caught up with a few players including Gio Gonzalez and Drew Storen. In this video, Mark also adds some analysis of the first day of 2015 spring training.…

Even before the Nationals added Max Scherzer in a record free agent contract, their starting rotation was by all accounts a strength. They held the best rotation ERA in MLB last season at 3.04 and the best WHIP at 1.14. Even in the postseason, their 0.73 starters’ ERA was tops among all playoff teams. Pundits…

Already harboring the deepest rotation in the majors – and arguably the best overall in the game – the Nationals “strengthened a strength,” as general manager Mike Rizzo likes to say, in signing former Cy Young winner Max Scherzer to a free agent deal on Sunday. Now the Nationals have a conundrum: six quality starting…

It has become a running joke among members of the Nationals’ media corps, that if they make a sequel to the 2011 Oscar-nominated film ‘Moneyball,’ they will have to cast somebody as Mike Rizzo. Rizzo and Oakland Athletics general manager Billy Beane have become trade partners so often, that telling the story of either team…

Age on Opening Day 2015: 29 How acquired: Trade from Athletics with RHP Robert Gilliam for LHP Tom Milone, RHP Brad Peacock, RHP A.J. Cole and C Derek Norris, Dec. 2011 MLB service time: 5 years, 162 days 2014 salary+bonuses: $8.5 million Contract status: Signed for $11 million in 2015, $12 million in 2016, $12…

Gio Gonzalez’ playoff record now includes three starts to analyze, two in 2012 and one this year, the Nats’ season-ending loss in Game 4 of the NLDS. His 3.21 career ERA in the postseason makes it difficult to draw a true conclusion, but a close look reveals he has been anything but sharp. Gonzalez walked 11…

Updated at 4:00 a.m. SAN FRANCISCO — Postseason baseball requires the utmost precision. Every pitch is magnified. Every swing is crucial. Every fielding attempt is life-or-death. The teams that win in October are the ones, quite simply, that don’t make mistakes. They pitch well. They hit at the right moments. They make all the plays…

SAN FRANCISCO — The Nationals won a do-or-die game yesterday, no small achievement. But all that did was set the stage for another do-or-die game tonight, in which a win would only ensure one final do-or-die game Thursday in D.C. In other words, the task remains tall. The matchup in Game 4, however, does favor…

After beating Madison Bumgarner in Game 3 on Monday afternoon, the Nationals will now send their own best lefty to the mound in Game 4 hoping to keep their season alive. Gio Gonzalez was the Nationals’ starter for both Games 1 and 5 back in 2012, so he has experience both pitching on the road…

Nationals manager Matt Williams said this week he needed to see how Jordan Zimmermann’s bruised shoulder fares on Sunday before determining the team’s postseason rotation. On Saturday, Williams delayed that announcement even more. Williams will likely wait until Thursday now to announce his rotation and roster. He wants to see who the Nationals’ opponent will be…

With tough decisions to make before October, particularly regarding his starting rotation, Nationals manager Matt Williams has joked recently about long nights for his coaching staff. “We might all sleep here,” he said on Thursday. That is, if they sleep at all. It was one thing to have to pick their starter for Game 1 of…

GAME IN A NUTSHELL: Whether Gio Gonzalez needed to show anything more to make his case for a spot in the Nats’ postseason rotation or not, he sure leaves the 2014 regular season on a high note. The Nationals lefty was dominant in the team’s 3-0 win over the Mets on Thursday night, striking out a…